Liquid dispensing system



LIQUID DISPENSING SYSTEM 2 Shets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 28, 1935 INVENTORFag/r7 0/0 6. 5/20/70 A'I'I'ORNEY5 May 28, 1935.

R. C. SHAND LIQUID DISPENSING SYSTEM Filed Aug. 28, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet2 INVENTOR @eg/rva/a 6 5/60/70 ATTORNEYS Patented May 28,

UNITED STATES PATENT orrica namn msrnnsme srs'rmu Reginald c. Shand,Piedmont, Calif.

Application August 28,

4 Claims.

This invention relates generally to systems for dispensing liquid fromthe tanks or tank compartments of a motor vehicle, particularly wherethe liquid is of an inflammable character such 8 as gasoline orkerosene.

It is an object of the invention to provide a system of the abovecharacter which will preclude the possibility'of dispensing liquid whenthe motor of the vehicle is in operation, thus avoiding a fire hazard. 7

Further objects of the invention will appear from the followingdescription in which the preferred embodiment of the invention has beenset forth in detail in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a motor truck, to which thesystem of the present invention has been applied.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view, in-transverse cross-section,illustrating a form of hydraulic actuator which can be utilized with thesystem shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional detail taken along the line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view, in cross section, showing a form offluid pressure operated switch utilized in conjunction with my system,for disrupting operation of the vehicle motor while liquid is beingdispensed from the tank or tank compartments.

Fig. 5 is a cross sectional detail taken along the line 55 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a schematic layout of my complete system.

The present specification is a continuation in part of subject matterdisclosed in my copending application Ser. No. 355,711, filed April 17,1929, entitled Valve control system. The system as disclosed hereinutilizes valve units which are adapted to control flow of liquid fromthe diiferent tanks or tank compartments of a motor truck, and thesevalve units are adapted to be operated to efl'ect opening of the same bythe use of means for applying hydraulic pressure thereto, commonlytermed a hydraulic actuator. A pressure operated electrical switch isincorporated in conjunction with the ignition circuit for the motortruck engine, and this switch is so associated with the hydraulic valvesystem that when the actuator is operated to effect opening of one ofthe valve units, the ignition circuit of the engine is renderedinoperative.

Referring now to Fig. 1 of the drawings, the system as disclosedconsists of a plurality of 1933, Serial No. 687.038 (CL 221-67) valveunits ll, associated with the tank compartments I. Connected with eachof the valve units l0, there is a liquid discharge conduit l2, leadingto a rear faucet l3. A hydraulic actuator i4 is shown mounted near therear end of 5 the truck, and in conjunction with this actuator there isa distributing valve l6. Pipe lines I! between the distributing valve l6and the valve units l0, serve. to transmit liquid pressure from theactuator .to the-several valve units, to ef- 10 feet their operation.Mounted near the forward end of the truck and adjacent the engine, thereis an electrical switch device adapted to be .operated by liquid underpressure, and which is likewise connected to the actuator ll thru thepipe l8. Pipe I8 may also be provided with a valve controlled-vent 20,by means of which the operator may relieve hydraulic pressure from thesystem in the event of an, emergency.

The hydraulic valve units .can vary as to construction, suitable units,of this character being disclosed in my aforesaid application Serial No.355,711. A suitable actuator I4 is illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3 and islikewise disclosed in my aforesaid applicationfierial No. 355,711.Briefly, this actuator consists of a hollow body or casing 2| which isformed to provide a cylinder bore 22. The upper portion of the body isformed to provide a liquid reservoir 23 which is normally closed byplate 24. Slidably extending into the body 2| there is a piston rod 26,to the lower end of which is secured a. piston 21. The reservoir 23 isadapted to contain a suitable quantity of liquid, such as lubricatingoil, and is in communication with the space below piston 21 through port28.

For actuating the piston rod 26, a hand lever 3| is provided, whichswings about the pivotal connection 32,. and which is operativelyoonnected to the upper end 01' the piston rod 28 through a togglelinkage mechanism 33. When the lever 3| is in its uppermost position, asshown in Fig. 1, port 28 is exposed by piston 21 to insure filling thespace below the piston with liquid from the reservoir 23. When lever 3|is forced 4.5 downwardly to its lowermost position, piston 21 is forceddownwardly to displace the liquid in' cylinder 23 to one of the valveunits to be actuated.

The selecting or distributing valve l6 may consist of a hollow valvebody v36, which is removably secured to the lower end of the casing 2|.

A valve seat 3'1 is formed within body 33, and rotatably positionedwithin the valve seat there is a valve member 38; For rotating the valvemember 38 to any one of a number of selected positions, a stem 39 isshown projecting from one end of the same, and to this stem there issecured an'operating lever 4|. An opening 42 in the upper portion of thevalve body 36 estab- .(Fig. 3), which are spaced circumferentially andwhich communicate with the valve seat 31. The valve member 38 isprovided with a central passage 44 communicatingwith the upper opening42 and cylinder bore 22, and with a radialextending port 46, whichcommunicates between the periphery of the valve member 38 and thecentral passage 44. Port 46 is adapted to communicate with any one ofthe passages 43, depending upon the position of the valve member 38.Thus'by moving selecting lever 4| to any one 01' a number ofpredetermined positions, the operator can establish communication betwenthe cylinder bore 22 and any one of the pipe lines 11, to efiectoperation of any one of the valve units l0.

The selecting valve illustrated is also provided with means to insurereturn of an actuated valve unit to normal closed position, when thesetting of the selecting lever is changed. Thus valve member 38 has beenshown provided with a recess or port 48, which extends about theperiphery of valve member 38 a substantial distance, and which iscapable of communicating with all but one of the passages 43 for any oneselected position of the lever 41. This recess or port 38 is also incontinuous communication with the port 49, which in turn is incommunication with the reservoir 23 thru passage 5|. Therefore for anyoperating position, all of the passages 43 will be in communication withreservoir 23 thru recess or port 48, port 49, and passage 5|, except ofcourse that passage 43 which is in registry with port 46.

To preclude movement of the selecting valve member 38 while the piston21 is in an actuated position, the upper end of the valve member 38 likemember 56, which is accommodated within one of the slots 54 when thepiston is in its lower actuated position.

Since it is desired to operate the electrical switch device 11 byhydraulic pressure from the actuator described above, irrespective ofwhich one of the valve units is selected for operation, I have shown apassage 51 communicating directly with the cylinder bore 22 below piston21, and to which the pipe line l8 may be connected. Therefore wheneverthe handle 3| of the actuator is forced downwardly, pressure istransmitted thru pipe l8 to the switch device I1. As will be presentlyexplained, this switch device is adapted to render the ignition circuitof the engine inoperative, before sufficient pressure has been'devel-'oped to effect opening of the selected valve unit.

A suitable form of switch I1 is illustrated in detail in Figs. 4 and 5.It consists of a body 6|, formed to provide a cylinder bore 62. Fittedwithin the bore 62 there is a piston 63, which is urged in one directionby the compression spring 64. Mounted upon the hollow casing part 66 andelectrically insulated therefrom, are the electrical connector terminals61, 68 and 69. Electrically connected to the terminal 61, are the twospaced contactors 1| and 12. Terminal 68 is also provided with acontactor 13 corresponding to the contactor 1|, but with insulation 14corresponding to the contactor 12. Terminal 69 is provided with a singlecontactor 11 corresponding to the contactor 12. Cooperating with thecontactors just described, there is a contactor bridge 19, which issecured to the piston 63, and which in this instance is in the shape ofa disc. When the piston 63 moves downwardly as viewed in Fig. 4,electrical connection between terminals 61 and 68 is interrupted andelectrical connection between terminals 61 and 69 is established. Apassage 19 is provided in body 6|, for making connection with pipe l8,whereby when liquid pressure is transmitted thru this-pipe, piston 63 isforced against the pressure of spring 64.

' A set of three terminals'is provided with switch device in order thatit may readily adapt itself to either a battery ignition circuit, or anignition circuit of the magneto type. Thus when operating upon theconventional battery ignition, terminal 61 is connected to the usualignition switch, while terminal 68 is connected to the high tensionignition coil. In other words in this case the terminals 61 and 68 areconnected in series with the low potential side of the ignition system.With a conventional magneto system, terminal 61 is grounded, andterminal 69 is connected to the usual conductor which leads from themagneto to the magneto switch. Assuming first that ,connections are madeto terminals 61 and 68 previously explained for a battery ignitionsystem, when piston 63 is in the position shown in Fig. 4, correspondingto periods when it is not being subjected to liquid pressure, thebattery circuit is properly completed thru the terminals 61 and 68, thuspermitting normal operation of the engine. However when piston 63 ismoved by hydraulic pressure transmitted thru pipe l8, movement of piston63 causes the circuit between terminals 61 and 68 to be broken, thusinterrupting the engine ignition circuit and precluding normal operationof the engine, or arresting its operation in the event the engine haspreviously been operating. When connections are made to terminals 61 and69 of the magneto ignition circuit, movement of piston 63 under liquidpressure serves to short circuit the ignition system, thus likewiseprecluding operation of the engine.

Operation of my system as-a whole can best be understood by reference tothe diagrammatic layout of Fig. 6. In this case the switch device H hasbeen interposed between the usual ignition switch 9 and the coil of abattery ignition system. Assuming that an operator now desires tooperate one of the valve units H), the selecting valve I6 is setaccordingly, and the actuator I4 is operated to transmit liquid underpressure thereto. During the initial movement of the handle for theactuator, suflicient hydraulic pressure is built up to move piston 63 ofthe switch device l1 to disrupt the engine ignition circuit, thusprecluding operation of the engine, or interrupting its operation in theevent the operator has previously neglected to turn off the ignitionswitch. Thereafter when the operator moves the actuator handle tocompletely actuated position, the selected valve unit is opened topermit the dispensing of the desired liquid.

-After a dispensing operation the ignition circuit is automaticallyestablished, to permit normal operation of the truck.

I claim:

1. In a system of the character described, a motor vehicle carrying aliquid tank, a fluid pressure-operated valve unit for dispensing liquidfrom said tank, means for applying fluid under pressure to said valveunit to effect opening of the same, and fluid pressure-operated meanshaving a fluid connection with said last named means and serving toprecludeoperation of the motor of the vehicle when said valve unit isopened.

2. In a system of the character described, a motor vehicle carrying aliquid tank, the motor thereof having an ignition circuit, a fluidpressure operated valve unit for dispensing liquid from said tank, meansfor applying fluid under pressure to said valve unit to effect openingof the same, a fluid pressure operated switch in the ignition circuit,and a fluid connection between said switch and said last named means forautomatically disrupting the ignition circuit while liquid is beingdispensed.

3. In a system of the character described, a motor vehicle carrying aliquid tank, the motor thereof having an ignition circuit, a pluralityof fluid pressure operated valve units for dispensing liquid from saidtank, a common hydraulic actuator for selectively applying fluidpressure to said valve units to efiect opening of the same, a fluidpressure operated switch device in the ignition circuit, and a fluidconnection between said switch device and said actuator for causingautomatic disruption of the ignition circuit while any one of said valveunits is being actuated by hydraulic pressure. a

4. In a system of the character described, a motor vehicle carrying aliquid tank, the motor thereof having an ignition circuit, a pluralityof fluid pressure-operated valve units for dispensing liquid from saidtank, a common'fluid pressure actuator for operating said valve unitsm.distributing valve having fluid communication with the actuator and withthe valve units, a fluid-operated switch device in the ignition circuit,and a fluid connection between the switch device and said actuator forcausing automatic disruption of the ignition circuit while any one ofsaid valve units is being actuated by fluid pressure.

REGINALD C. SHAND.

